Little Kings Cream Ale - Hudepohl-Schoenling Brewing Co.

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

3.5/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

7oz bottle served in a glass beer mug.

L - a hearty pour created a white creamy head over a golden colored beer. The head settled down but left a nice coat of thin lacing.

S - sweet grainy creamed-corn aroma.

T - sweet and pretty decent tasting cream ale.

F - medium bodied with mild carbonation.

O - this is a better than average cream ale and I'll be certain to drink more than a few this summer.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2011 00:26:27 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

lifeguardjon

North Dakota

3.15/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Clear golden color with a quickly dissipating white head, leaves some lacing on glass.

S: First thing I noticed was the slightly skunky smell, probably from the green bottles. Smell of grain and a faint hint of corn.

F: Mouth feel was good on this one, carbonation levels seem correct.

T: The skunkyness from the nose, carried through into taste, but only as a background flavor. Grain and corn dominate the flavors with off flavors coming up in the aftertaste.

O: Seems to be a decent little beer, taking it out of green bottles would probably help, but I would not continue to drink this at $1 a bottle ($8 per 8 pack of 7 ounce bottles). It was interesting to try.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2011 01:10:02 | More by lifeguardjon

dbossman

Nebraska

2.9/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Clear golden hue with a thin white head; lacing is fairly decent

S: Lots of grains--corn especially; a bit grassy with a touch of lemon; but mostly a slightly sour grain mash aroma

T: Decent grainy and grassy flavors up front--a touch of lemon soapiness and of course more corn flavors in the grainy, bready malt base

F: For a light bodied beer, this has decent mouth feel--it actually sticks to the roof of the mouth

O: A decent little beer and a great alternative to the watered down mass produced, ubiquitous beers

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2011 14:07:02 | More by dbossman

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

3.7/5  rDev +22.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Little Kings Original Cream Ale is an unusual beer. It has a minimal, white head and a very clear, golden appearance with lots of little bubbles streaming up and some lacing left behind. The aroma is light, but some malty smell and a strange olive oil (to me) aspect is detected. Taste is likewise malty, with some slight hop bitterness across the sip, with again that odd olive oil flavor. The body is medium, and Little Kings Original Cream Ale finishes crisp and refreshing. Drinkability is not terribly high and it’s more of a sipper, really. Even with it’s strange presentation, I did like it and recommend giving it a chance.

RJT

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2011 03:11:24 | More by RonaldTheriot

Offa

California

3.55/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Gold with a small white head steadily thinning to a ring and a few weak wisps of lace.

Aroma is corn and grain, apple, grass, basically like a sweet/fuller basic US pale lager with an extra yeasty hint.

Taste is creamed corn, mineral, light grassiness, lightly sweet apple cider, faint tart apple zestiness and alight corn-apple aftertaste. It tend slightly to the sweeter side with a character predominantly of lightly sweet, zesty apple and corn. That said, it has an enjoyable, firm character, if simple and light.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2011 19:37:39 | More by Offa

tone77

Pennsylvania

2.93/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from 2 green 7 oz. bottles. Has a golden color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is a bit skunky, could be those dreaded green bottles. Taste also has a bit of skunk to it, a touch of sweetness, and slightly bitter at the finish. Feels light in the mouth and overall is a mediocre beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2011 14:27:44 | More by tone77

HUXC

New York

2.88/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Serving Type- Served from a chilled 7 oz bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance- Standard ale look. Light golden straw appearance with about a half of a fingers worth of white head. The lacing that the head leaves on the brim of the glass quickly dissipates.

Smell- If blindfolded I could swear that there was a stale Heineken in front of me. The ale also has a hint of sweet corn aroma.

Taste- Knowing that it was a cream ale, and having never tried a cream ale my brain told me to expect something along the lines of a cream soda. I was sorely mistaken. After getting over my mishap and sampled the beer for what it was I got a rather mild foretaste and a sweat corn like flavor aftertaste. No hop or bittering flavor to speak of.

Mouthfeel- Not a really carbonated ale, goes down crisp and smooth, no bite what so ever. Almost exactly like cold water.

Overall- Overall due to its size I can't really take this ale seriously. To me it seemed more like a party favor rather then a refreshing alcoholic beverage. This being my first cream ale I can't say I was too impressed with it. Perhaps I bought a skunked batch, but what ever the case I don't think I'd purchase this again.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2011 17:19:34 | More by HUXC

jerryjeff

Tennessee

3.35/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Aroma
Crisp somewhat sweet scent, seems like almost hints of butterscotch

Mouthfeel
Medium carbonation with very little body, near water

Appearance
Pale gold/straw color. Poured to slight white lace colored head in mich goblet from 7 oz pony

Taste
As somewhat advertised, a bit of a sweetish hint on the tongue with slight bitterness.

Drinkability Very, this is meant to be a beer you can drink a lot of and you definitely could.

Overall
This has a good non-intrusive taste and is meant to be a sessionable beer. I like it quite a bit, but is it worth the premium when you could buy a macro that isn't all that different flavor wise.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2011 18:44:40 | More by jerryjeff

Schmidts

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev +20.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 7 OZ bottle golden yellow. Smells of Grain and Corn sort of sweet. Taste is sweet with a hint of bitterness. Very Refreshing in your mouth. This is a really a nice retro Beer and I have finished off a case of 7 oz bottles in three days. I find this beer to be a very nice session beer and very enjoyable. Give it a try it sure surprised me.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2011 22:52:10 | More by Schmidts

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine Issue #48 (Jan 2011):

A retro brand looking for another heyday. Bubbly white lace crackles a bit but stays a true, clear, pale yellow color. Clean nose of sweet cooked corn and subtle grassy grain. Light fluffy body with a snappy crispness. Kiss of sweet- ness to start, with cooked veggies and a bready undertone. Muted hops just provide a balancing bitterness. Hint of alcohol and twang of fermented grain. Clean dry finish. It is what it is. A no-frills brewski that is easy to put down if you're into lighter-styled beers. This beer also told us that it should be paired with chili cheese dogs.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2011 14:35:52 | More by BeerAdvocate

hosehead83

Ohio

3.48/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from an "Awwww cute" little 7oz. bottle into a juice glass. Doesn't seem right. I don't think, in fact I know, that I have never poured a Little Kings into anything other than down my throat before. Faint straw color with a very short head of foam that is almost gone before the beer settles.
Aroma-Hmmmm. There is a little something here. Faint grain and maybe a slight apple or pear note
Taste-Faintly sweet, subtle malt note. Very crisp and clean. First taste of this beer that I've had that wasn't a bit skunky. Must be a fresh bottle.
I wish there was a "Nostalgia Beer" category because I would put Little Kings at the top of the list. Hands down my favorite beer in high school. (Hey, it was the early 80's) The little bottles were easy to conceal in a coat or jacket if you're going to a football or basketball game. Also, for about seven bucks(1980's prices) you could buy a whole case and bam!...instant party! Girls liked 'em 'cause they were "cute" and only 7ounces. Guys liked 'em 'cause they were easy to pound down, affordable, and pretty tasty. Hey man it's "cream ale", not beer!-was a favorite response when somebody asked me for one of my "beers". Ask anyone who grew up with Little Kings and you'll always get a smile and a story.
I raise my tiny bottle high..Cheers!!
Long live Little Kings!! (A+ in my book! Though sadly, not in my official review)

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2011 16:53:46 | More by hosehead83

keeganfrank

Ohio

3.15/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours with a thin, sudsy head that dissolves quickly. Ginger-colored beer with significant carbonation. Smells sweet and musty, very heavy on the malts. The taste is sweet and of grain and corn. Its smooth, syrupy body makes this an enjoyable drink, despite the lacking flavor profile. A decent session brew...even though (or especially because?) you have to drink twice as many.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2011 00:44:33 | More by keeganfrank

Shrews629

Kentucky

2.33/5  rDev -22.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Appearance - With a very aggressive pour this straw yellow, very clear beer produced a bright white, fizzy, soapy head with decent size. Not a whole lot of retention, but it did leave a scant amount of lacing. It settled to a thin film on top also. Several bubbles rising to the top.

Smell - The smell was a grassy, grainy, corn type of smell. Very similar to a "macro" only with a slightly sweeter aroma.

Taste - The flavor was more of the corn adjuncts. Bits of grain. No real bitterness to speak of. Rather tame.

Mouthfeel - Light mouthfeel. Crisp and smooth. Mostly watery and refreshing. Not much left on the palate. Goes down very easy.

Drinkability - This beer would be a nice thirst quencher during a hot Summers day. It's slightly better than most macros however I wouldn't go out of my way to pick this up.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2011 21:30:55 | More by Shrews629

wcudwight

North Carolina

2.73/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Gold in color with a one finger white head that quickly fades to a thin lace on top. Faint musty and grainy aroma. Flavor is pretty bland with some sweet malt and a bit buttery. Slightly bitter and metallic in the finish. Mouthfeel is thin. Nice to have for nostalgia reasons but it's far from good beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2011 04:30:30 | More by wcudwight

ronniebruner

Arizona

2.98/5  rDev -1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

bottle consumed was a 7oz mini. The beer poured a golden yellow hue with average amount of head and carbonation. Slightly frothy, but with an average aroma of barley hops as well. I love the small bottle, as it makes this more drinkable, as this beer would probably lose its appeal in a 12 oz bottle. Worth a try!

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2011 02:41:26 | More by ronniebruner

kzoobrew

Michigan

1.83/5  rDev -39.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 1 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 1

7oz bottle poured into pint glass.

Fizzy yellow beer, or well something close to yellow. Extremely clear body. One and a half finger bone white head fades very quickly, ever so slight ring left around the top. I suppose for the style, this doesn't look too bad.

Straight up skunk and chlorinated water. If there is anything else going on here it simply cannot compete with these two overpowering aromas.

Sweet grainy flavor. I literally cannot taste anything beyond this. I will admit the first half of the taste I am distracted by the awful aroma (odor?) of this beer, by the time is fades there is nothing but sweet grain.

Light and crisp. Lively carbonation, semi dry finish.

Man, this was interesting. Um, I am at a loss for words. I think this is one you drink from a bottle, anything to help contain the smell. Not for my, the bottle was about 6.70 ounces too much.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2011 02:29:58 | More by kzoobrew

KajII

North Carolina

2.53/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

[Best served in a Lager glass]

Poured a clear yellow-amber with a super small white fizzy head that dissapated rapidly and had no lacing.The aroma was of grain malts, a grassy hop and a soapy yeast. It tasted sweet with an ever so light hoppiness from start to finish. Mouthfeel was light in body and creamy yet watery in texture with a soft carbonation. Overall a a very light brew which is typical of cream ale's, but have to say it is quite drinkable yet nothing special.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2011 13:27:30 | More by KajII

foogerd

New York

2.8/5  rDev -7%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Poured from a 7 ounce bottle so not much of a head clear yellow body.

S- Sweet smelling malts, doesnt seem to be much there.

T- Almost like an all malt, slight bit of hops at the finish. Sweet.

M- Smooth creamy mouthfeel.

D- Very sessionable ill give it that.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2011 03:52:42 | More by foogerd

djdrdave

Ohio

4.47/5  rDev +48.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Has a sweet flavor and has won several awards. I like the 7 oz bottle for some reason. I give it an A because it is unique. I wouldn't drink it every day, but like it for the winter time, or even as a quick beer to sip with dinner.

Not sure I've had any other cream ales, but I brewed a Little Kings clone one time, that didn't turn out good, so I recommend to just buy it.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2011 03:39:22 | More by djdrdave

dhannes

Wisconsin

4.08/5  rDev +35.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a Samuel Adams Lager Glass.

A=Rather appealing rich straw gold with a slight (1/4") head for a minute or so.

S=Light smell of hops.

T=Very sweet--too sweet at the start--with the corn flavoring presence. But rather enjoyable near the end.

M=Neither too light or heavy...perhaps a bit lighter than I like.

D=Again, one needs to stick with this to the end...the 7 oz. serving makes it easier.

Good for a quick beer after a hot day--reminds me of the Old Styles and Old Milwaukees my dad used to drink.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2011 02:55:23 | More by dhannes

jsh420

Illinois

1.65/5  rDev -45.2%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 2 | overall: 1

pours watery cloudy yellow gold with a film of white head after an aggressive pour from the tiny bottle

smell - is honestly pretty good for what it is - very euro lager like - sweet grains some alcohol

taste is absolutely putrid - for only being 5.5% the booze / grians mix tastes like sweet gasoline

mouthfeel is very light yet stings my mouth

drinkability - if it tastes awful how could the drinkability be any better - i did drink the Whole bottle 7oz but if you gave me the rest of my life i would not want to finish this whole 8 pack

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2011 23:14:01 | More by jsh420

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev +25.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served in a Gale Sayers shaker pint glass.

What a cute wittwe bottwe! It pours a clear pale copper topped by a finger of white froth. The nose comprises flowers, wheat, lemongrass, and a pinch of powdered sugar. The taste holds notes of wheat, grass, flowers, light vanilla, and a touch of cream cheese. The body is rather light, with a light carbonation and a slightly watery feel. Overall, a nice little cream ale. Well worth the minuscule price tag, considering how easy it is to drink.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2011 08:14:54 | More by TMoney2591

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.15/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 7oz bottle into a becker pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep gold color, with a very thin white head that fades quickly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains sweet malts, grain and a little bit of hops.

T: The taste starts out bready with flavors of grain and a thin malt character. Then some sweetness comes in along with a mild but complementary hops presence creating a decent balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and a little smooth, light-to-medium body, medium carbonation, finish is clean.

D: A little tasty, goes down quite easily, not too filling, mild kick, good representation of style, this is a poundable beer worth drinking for a while when you want something very light.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2011 03:44:31 | More by TheManiacalOne

matt20102

Michigan

2.95/5  rDev -2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served at refrigerator temperature. Color is a bronzy-golden hue; smells of malt and subtly wet cardboard; could be (very) slightly skunky which makes sense given the green glass bottle. The "cream" in this ale is obvious and pleasant. Most of the reviews of this beer describe this as an unpleasant brew, which I suspect is due mostly to the green glass bottles. Given proper storage, this is probably a fun, different beer. Light, however, is not a friend. The small bottles (7oz) are a good choice, as this beer should be consumed quickly after pouring.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2011 02:13:52 | More by matt20102

bbrown29073

South Carolina

2.7/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

I remember this beer from the '70's. At the time, I lived next door to Bill Schoenling, off of Werk Road in Cincinnati. This certainly was not what I recalled.

A - A "normal" lager-yellow. Light head. little lacing
S - It smelled "bad". Can't think of another word. Wasn't skunky - just "bad".
T - A little too sweet. Not as I recalled.
M - It was a bit creamy. True to my memory.
D - Not. I had a few. Threw the rest of the case away.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2010 22:01:10 | More by bbrown29073